The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-11
CRIrICISING THE LAW,
It Is Thought Amateurish and Likely to Prove
Boomerang to Its Authors.

It Is Thought Amateurish and Likely to Prove
Boomerang to Its Authors.
New York Times
''The interstate-comlnerce law is likely to
prove boomerang TO its authors said a rail-
road manager to Times reporter yesterday.
''If it was designed ty them to be ladder by
which to ascend the heights of political fame,
you likely to hear something drop, with the
dull and sckening thud attachment. too. All
ready those who most persistently labored for
its enactment have applied to have its most
important provisions suspended 1t is shown to
be of practical benefit only to the coast liners
and Pacific steamers. while it is a positive to-
jury nearly all railroads and all business in
teres;s."
by authors of the measure, do you mean
Senator Cullom, Mr.. Reagan. or both7" the
manager asked.
'Both of them" was the answer, although
Cullom is really not to blame for the objectona-
Bile features of the bill; they were forced upon
the measure by Reagan and his crazy followers
in the House Cullom had to consent to them
in order TO get the bill through the House in any
shape but lie will suffer for it just the same as
though he agreed to them voluntarily. The
fact is. the whole measure is amaieurish In the
eyes of practical railroad man. The whole
railroad system of America. with Its 240, 900
miles of tracks, and those of England and Ger
many and the rest of Europe. and the Indian
system, well. have been practically developed
within the last fifty years And men, in order
to understand these enormous interests, have
had TO grow up in them. Now Reagan has been
the laughing stock of the railway world for his
crazy, indefinite notions for the last six years;
and he is the last whose notions should
have been Incorporated in national railroad
law Tho law without the long and-short-haul
and anti pool clauses was substantially all that
- Laa~, otaH hiss ftpno Rr,ff fhn
Southerners wanted these clauses. and they got
them. Now they are the first to ask to have
them suspended"
How will the suspension affect the business
of your roads"
at will make it possible for us to carry
through freight to New Orleans and the South
via Louisville and Memphis that otherwise
wonid have gone by water. Under the opera
tions of the law nearly all through freight to
gulf and lower river points would have gone by
gulf steamers, and the railroads would have had
to grub along on way business or suspend. l
look for further and general suspensions and
mod ihcations of these two provisions of the law
by the commission, until Congress can again
take the up and put 1t 10 proper shape"
This found TO be the general sentim ent
among railroad men regarding the operations of
the law. general feeling of uneasiness pre-
vailed among them, but they all looked upon
the commission as reliable quantity. and con-
cluded that II would not enforce any provisions
of the law that likely 10 occasion a serious
| disarrangement OF the existing business rela-
tions
/ Commissioner Pierson said: THE condition of
| railroad affairs before the enactment of this law
called for certain legislation. there Is no doubt
/ the continual cutting of rates and passenger
| tariffs the mismanasenent of roads; the hasty
and III considered action of officials afflicted with
snartness; the inability TO frame an agreement
/ which managers would keep-all pointed to the
/ necessity Of action by higher power which
could enforce its DEGREES. To this the companies
would not ohject-they even desired ii. But
/ Congress went too far III what should have been
an experimental law. You see the railroad sys
TEN of this country, although by no means the
creature of antiquity, is not thing of yester-
! day. The history of its development ia the his
| tory of the development ard prosperity OF the
/ Nation. Although the Nation has been neces-
sary 10 the railroads. in just the same measure
| have the railroads been necessary 10 the conn
| try All the many business interests have been
established with relation 10 the railroads ard the
railroads have padded and adjusted themselves
to the vitahties of the country that they have
become mutually necessary to each other.
And 1T is that when the railroads are
assailed the industries OF the country suffer